Conventionally a dog is led by a leading strap, or lead, attached to a collar around the neck of the dog. A lead and collar is to an extent effective to restrain a dog, although it can be uncomfortable for a dog which pulls against the lead, but this arrangement cannot be used to guide the dog to turn to the left or right; it can only be used to pull the dog to the left or right. Harnesses which pass around the body of the dog and to which a lead is attached to the middle of the harness strap across the back of the dog are also known. Such a harness is effective to restrain a dog but again can only be used to pull a dog to the left or right; not to guide it.
A dog halter mounted around the nose and neck of the dog is also known. A neck loop is attached to a nose loop by cheek straps running between the neck and nose loops and a chin strap running between the neck loop and a cinch around the nose loop under the jaw of the dog. A lead is attached to the loop which passes through the cinch. Such a halter is sold under the registered trade mark HALTI®. This halter allows a dog to be restrained without discomfort to the dog and to be guided to the left or right, as the dog's head can be turned to the left or right by pulling on the lead.
It has been desired to provide a harness which can restrain a dog without discomfort and which can be used to guide the dog to the left or right, rather than simply pulling it. Harnesses may be preferable to halters for some dogs and other animals since the force exerted on the dog by the halter is spread over a wider and stronger part of the body of the dog. A dog harness provided by Soft Touch Concepts of Fremont, Calif., USA has an attachment point for a lead which is fixed on a strap which lies across the chest of the dog. However, when the lead is pulled to the left or right to turn the dog, the harness has a tendency to rotate around the dog which reduces its effectiveness and may be uncomfortable for the dog.